Head Towards the Sun (My Broken Corazón)
(*Crossposted on Ao3*) Masterpost
Chapter 6
Watching Rosinante walk away was difficult, especially after having just gotten him back, and it put knots in Doflamingo's stomach. His brother must have felt the same, as he kept turning around to look at him after every step before disappearing behind a corner. He would be alright with the kids, especially with the Blood Law established. It had been something he thought of on the way back; his family wasn't gentle with anyone, not even the kids. It's always been an unspoken rule that you either toughened up or got out before officially joining.
But Rosi was different. He was delicate. He bruised easily, cried when he scraped a knee, and had already lost enough blood.
“Trebol, Diamante, Pica; follow me.”
He led his executives to his office, where the door had been left open. Goi must not have shut it when he left. As Doflamingo made his way around his desk, he noticed the picture of Rosi that Goi had given him. He hadn't realized he had left it behind. Picking it up, he slid it into his pocket before sitting down.
“I never knew you had a brother,” Pica said once Diamante shut the door. Doffy nodded. A small part of himself felt bad about that; this was his Family after all. However, it wasn't as if he had purposely hidden Rosi's existence from them. When he had been chased from Mariejoi, he had planned to introduce Rosi to the ones who gave him power. They would have a new Family, one that treated them like the gods they were, but after finding the barn in the state he had, and unable to find Rosi anywhere in Downs or the island, he couldn't bring himself to tell the others.
Trebol had helped, if one could call it that. The man had siblings, most of whom had disappeared like Rosinante had: blood left behind in a disheveled room with no idea who had taken them, nor where they may have gone. He said the pain would pass, that the loss and disappearance of weaker siblings was easy to get over once you realized they weren't worth remembering. When Doflamingo asked what he meant, he responded, “My mother always said that if they were too weak to be taken so easily, they were only worth the money their disappearance brought to our family! Behehe!”
He still didn't understand what that meant, but he never asked about Trebol's blood family again and knew better than to bring up Rosi.
“The only one who knew of Rosinante was Trebol,” he said, nodding to the man. Trebol lacked a smile, and his nose ran much more aggressively than usual. When he sniffed, it seemed to exacerbate the problem. He motioned for his men to sit, and as they grabbed chairs from around the room, he continued. “Before I left for Mariejoi, I hid Rosinante away until I could return for him. I asked Trebol to check on the hiding spot at least twice a day to make sure it was left undisturbed.”
Trebol nodded, but otherwise said nothing.
This was the part that always confused him. It didn't make sense, and nothing added up. That barn had been abandoned long before his family moved to that town. It was one of the few places safe for him and his brother. So much so that he had refused to let Rosi tell their father about it, every place that man visited had always been discovered at some point, and Doffy had refused to lose the barn because of that man's incompetence.
It had been pointless, because rather than his father, it had been himself who caused the barn to be discovered, and Rosi paid the price for it.
“When I returned, I learned the people of Downs had found my brother and took him when night fell. What they did and where Rosinante ended up, I do not know. They never said a word about it. Had the audacity to feign ignorance. I had thought he had been dead until Goi mentioned him.” Doflamingo ran his thumb over his pants pocket, the thin fabric allowing him to feel the picture hiding within. He had never dared to hope for Rosi's survival. All the people he interrogated during those two months of searching said the same thing; they didn't know what he was talking about, and they had no idea where his brother was.
“That's why you wanted that pathetic little town destroyed!” Diamante said excitedly, leaning forward with a smile across his face. With how wide the man's mouth was, his smile took over half of his face. “You always told us what someone did or how you got hurt before we sought revenge when you were younger, but that was the only time we were never told why!” Doflamingo smiled slightly as Diamante laughed, slapping a hand on one of his thighs.
“It had been personal, and while we are Family now, I had not known you well enough then to explain why I wanted the town erased from existence.”
“So where has he been?” Pica asked.
“Goi said he picked him up on Fishman Island, though how he got there and for how long, I do not know,” he responded. While he is just as curious, asking Rosi ‘what happened’ after finding him never crossed his mind. It should have, but all he could think about was how much his brother had grown and changed. It didn't matter where he had been because he was here now.
“He can't speak, but his little sister can,” he said, opening a drawer and pulling out a notepad and a pen. “And since she's been with him for the past 11 years, she should be able to answer any questions you may have for them. Though anything she doesn't know, he'll have to write it down. I would rather he have the chance to settle in first before asking him what happened in Downs. Until then, ask them anything you like.”
Trebol, who had been silent since Doflamingo returned with Rosi, finally spoke. “Neh, Doffy, is this such a good idea? Giving him and a stranger a place among the Family without them proving their worth first?” It was strange; he couldn't disagree with him on that. Even Law had to prove himself, and he had walked right up to Doflamingo, wrapped in grenades, ready to blow the moment he pulled the string in his hand. The kid had been prepared to join or kill himself and everyone around him while trying.
“Ooh, I know!” Diamante shouted before he could respond. “Let's hold the usual trial period, but with added perks!”
Doflamingo raised a brow at the man. “Explain.”
“Little Rosi and the twig work with each of us and the officers to prove themselves worthy, just like everyone else!” Diamante seemed excited, his body vibrating as he continued to speak. “They won't go on missions. One or two executives stay here to oversee them when others are on missions. They won't even be allowed into the map room! But!” He leaned forward, holding a finger up, “Unlike everyone else, they sleep at the base and eat with us at meal times! Perks of being important to Doffy before joining his Family.” Here, Diamante winked at him, and a smile spread across Doflamingo's face as the man leaned back, pulling his feet into his chair. “Though I'd recommend Little Rosi have a roommate before he gets his own room. Make the others feel like he's being watched even while we sleep.”
“What about the girl?” Pica asked, looking at Diamante with interest. “The twig?” The brunette asked. “She can bunk with the other kids. Tell them to keep an eye on her, just as they would anyone new. Make them feel important.”
Pica was obviously on board with the idea, and with a glance at Trebol, the man hesitantly nodded once. Doffy looked back at Diamante with a wide smile. “What a brilliant idea, Diamante.”
“Oh, it's nothing. Anyone could've thought of it.”
“But you're not just anyone.”
“Stop it, you say that like I'm some kind of genius.”
“Only a genius like you could think of something like this.”
“No, no, stop. I'm no genius.”
“Alright, I'll stop.”
“Fine! I'll admit I'm a genius if you insist! I have only the best ideas for my captain!”
Doflamingo was close to laughing as he said, “That you do.” It was almost like a game, praising Diamante until the man finally accepted when the praising stopped. It was easy to flatter him, but it was the way the man smiled after that that made it worth something. He still wasn't sure what had led the man to crave praise, but he was happy to indulge when required. It was simple things that made his Family truly happy. As he watched Diamante, who was now blushing as he basked in the praise Pica was showering him with, Doffy wondered if there was something small like this that would make Rosi red-faced as he smiled.
“Rosinante's little sister will bunk with the kids then,” he said once everyone was quiet again. “There should be an open top bunk on Buffalo's side of the room. And since he's my brother, Rosinante will stay with me.”
“In your room?” Pica squeaked, his eyebrows raising. “Are you sure, Doffy? We could easily have someone else watch him so you can have your space.”
Doflamingo shook his head. “Thank you for your concern, Pica, but it's unnecessary. After all, he's my baby brother; where else would he sleep if not next to me?”
Law walked beside Hotaru, Rosinante ahead of them with Baby 5 sitting on his shoulder and Buffalo beside him. They were maybe a third of the way through the tour, which Baby 5 was an expert at seeing as she's been with the family the longest, when they ran into Colton, the residential dick in an ascot. Colton was a short man with purple-tinted shades, a red ascot, and a brown cable-knit sweater vest. On his right cheek, just under his eye, was a tattoo of a sword that worked as an unbalanced scale, and a tattoo of an anchor at the corner of his left eye.
“Well, hello!” He called out a little too loudly, a sneer on his lips as he lifted the shades from his face and into his hair, revealing the tattoos on his face. “It's the newest members and the ickle brats. What an honor this is.”
Law watched as he got into Rosinante's personal space, leaning closer as his eyes flickered over the taller man's face. Baby 5, still on his shoulder, grabbed at the blonde's hair and held on so tightly her knuckles were white. Law couldn't see his face, but he was willing to bet that, while his body remained unresponsive, his face might reflect his discomfort. He was either uncomfortable with Colton violating his personal space or worried about being recognized.
“If you removed the makeup,” he said slowly, leaning closer. Rosinante leaned back in response. “I suppose you do hold a bit of a resemblance to Doflamingo,” he finished, leaning back and stepping away. “Which is funny. Never thought he was a sibling kind of guy.”
“What's that supposed to mean?” Hotaru asked. When Law glanced at her, she had already raised an eyebrow, which caused her face to be significantly uneven, and Law had to look away. That was not a normal asymmetry. Most people have asymmetrical faces, either in a vertical or horizontal direction, or a combination of both. It was just the way life was; nothing was perfect. But no one had an imperfect face like hers. If she made a face, like raising her eyebrow like she just did, it looked like someone put the wrong puzzle pieces together and said ‘good enough’ before gluing it together permanently. Colton, who always smirked at Pica but knew better than to snicker, did not hold back as he laughed at her outright.
Hotaru was unaffected.
“Ah! Your face alone is worth millions,” he said, whipping away a tear. “What I mean, crooked eyes, is that Doflamingo comes off as someone who would eat their twin in the womb.” Colton smiled like a predator, all teeth and no humor. “He seems like someone who would eat the heart of his sibling if it meant he would get more power.”
Law did not understand. How could anyone think Doflamingo would hurt his brother in any way after seeing how the man looked at Rosinante an hour ago? He just made a rule among the Family that no one was to hurt him, or they would face death. Even before Rosinante returned, Doflamingo once killed an entire pirate crew just for laughing at Pica's voice. The giant man may not share the captain's blood, but he was still a member of the Donquixote Family, and an insult to any member was met with bloodshed. Everyone knew that.
“Is that why you were separated?” Colton asked, leaning into Rosinante again. “Where have you been all this time? You were certainly gone long enough for him to think you were dead.”
“Fishman Island,” Hotaru said, stepping forward and moving the blonde gently. “We have been on Fishman Island,” she repeated. “And please, personal space. I don't know about Rosi, but you're making me uncomfortable with how close you're getting.”
Colton's face twisted in disgust, tilting his head back so he could look down his nose at the tall teenager. “Fishman Island? You lived among such filth? And on purpose?”
Law watched as the redhead bristled, her shoulders tightening as her head pulled back in shock. For someone who could brush off an insult directed to her person, she seemed to take the insult to another species as if it had been personal. Law had only read medical studies about Fishmen, just as he had with Giants, Minks, Dwarves, and all the Long-limbed tribes, so he knew their autonomy as well as any normal humans. However, when it came to anything unrelated to medical matters, he drew a blank. He was unsure what would cause such a reaction, though, especially since Fishmen outside of the Grand Line were a rarity.
“Excuse me?” Hotaru growled. “Filth? The only filth I have encountered is you. The natives of Fishman Island are beautiful, wonderful people. How dare you-”
Rosinante placed a hand on her shoulder, her words halting immediately. She didn't move or breathe for a moment, just stood still as a statue. Colton watched her curiously, but for once stayed blissfully silent. Then she took a deep breath, and when she released it, her body slowly relaxed as a smile stretched across her face. It was an unnatural smile. She looked like one of those people who give educational tours at museums, the ones who hate their job but still smile anyway. Her smile was just like that; too wide, too many teeth, and it looked physically painful.
“Ah, silly me! I just realized we haven't finished exploring this hideout! It was such a pleasure meeting you, but I'm afraid we must be going! Such a big place and so little time to see it all!” she said a little too loudly with false cheer. Rosinante lightly pushed at Buffalo's shoulders as he began walking, while Hotaru turned to him. “Come on, Law! So much to explore, you know!”
With a nod, Law began to walk beside her. A glance at Colton showed the man, for once, wasn't smiling; instead, he stared after them without a flicker of emotion on his face. Law had never seen him without a sneer, so it was strange. They continued with the tour, Baby 5 able to move things along like they had never been stopped in the first place, Buffalo jumping in to add things when she paused. Rosinante nodded, as he had before, but for a man who was mute, he seemed quieter than before, and it was unnerving.
That horrific smile didn't leave Hotaru's face for a long time.
After their uncomfortable run-in with one of the crew members, Rosinante continued to explore the base with Hotaru and the younger kids. There were about as many rooms as a home would have: bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, bathrooms, and the like. There were even special rooms for different members of Doflamingo's family, including a shooting range, a weightlifting room, a training room, an art gallery, and a library. There were a few places they weren't allowed to enter, like the map room and the conference room, but that was fine. Rosi didn't want to see those anyway.
“And this is the lounge,” said Baby 5 from her place on his shoulder. This had been the last room on the list since it was the room everyone went to when they wanted to relax. On the left side of the room, there was a bookshelf that took up the entire wall. On the right was a white wall with a few images and words artistically painted here and there. Next to it was a table laden with paints, brushes, and a funny-looking gun attached to an air tank. Rosinante watched as the tallest boy, Buffalo, excitedly rushed over to the tool, attached one of the oddly shaped paint bottles, and began to… paint?
“That's Buffalo's art wall. Giolla won't allow him into her art room, so Doflamingo had the wall painted white so he had somewhere to practice,” Law said, watching the other boy. “Once it's full, Buffalo takes pictures, and it's repainted so he can start all over again.”
“That's nice,” Hotaru said quietly, finally relaxing enough to drop her smile from earlier. Rosi nodded from beside her before looking around the room some more. Across from the entrance were three large windows, each with a table and chairs set before it. There was also a liquor cabinet in the corner closest to the bookshelves. In the center was a large red rug, two different colored couches (one dark green, the other light brown), a coffee table, and a large pink bean bag. Nothing matched, quite a few cushions had patches or grey tape to keep them from falling apart, and everything was sun-faded.
It was the most comfortable-looking lounge Rosinante had ever seen.
Baby 5 tapped his shoulder. “Would you like to color with me?” she asked, a hopeful look in her eyes. He smiled and nodded, picking her up and setting her feet onto the floor before he followed her towards the coffee table, where he helped her set everything up. Law sat on the couch closest to them with a book, and Hotaru explored the books along the wall, soon joining Law on the sofa with a smaller book. It was quiet for a while before Hotaru spoke up.
“Who was that, anyway?”
“Colton,” Buffalo spoke up from his place across the room. “He's the Family spy, former actor, and hates everyone-dasuyan!”
“He's always saying and doing mean things,” Baby 5 said, a sad look on her face. “So I put salt in his tea.” She turned to the redhead, her face lighting up a bit as she said, “If you want, I can sneak some salt into his drink tonight at dinner for what he said.” Rosinante looked at Hotaru as she smiled slightly. “I'd appreciate it.”
Baby 5 looked like Hotaru had given her a tiara and told her she was a princess.
“He's a dick,” Law said. “He threw me out of a window when we first met, so I stabbed him for it. Doflamingo bought me a practice surgical kit and a book about torture doctors throughout history.”
Rosinante paused and turned to look at Law. “Uh, and that's… a good gift?” Hotaru asked. The boy looked up and, with the most serious look on his face, said, “Yes. It's my favorite book so far. I also now know how many medical advances came to be. Would you like to hear about it?”
“No thanks!” Hotaru quickly turned to her book. “I think I'll just stick with my picture books, thanks.”
“It has pictures and diagrams about–”
“I'd rather learn about how this cow jumped over the moon, thanks.”
The boy smirked and returned to his book. “Your loss.”
Doffy's family was strange, but at least the kids were nice.
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